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NPSiForm 1O400* OM8 Appiw* No. 10244018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Section number ___ Page SUPPLEMENTARY LISTING RECORD NRIS Reference Number: 91000917 Date Listed: 7/23/91 King City Joint Union High School Auditorium Monterev CA Property Name County State N/A Multiple Name __«__....____«•«____________•»••».»•...»__•__ —— .->__B.__I«» —— •» —— •»_••. —— —— —— •••» —— —— —••• —— • —— —— •••__ —— «»••»-••• —— •••• This property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the attached nomination documentation subject to the following exceptions, exclusions, or amendments, notwithstanding the National Park Service certification included in the nomination documentation. Signature of the Keeper Date of Action Amended Items in Nomination: Description: The roof material is amended to read "other." This information was confirmed with Marilyn Lortie of the California State Historic Preservation Office. DISTRIBUTION: National Register property file Nominating Authority (without nomination attachment) NPS Form 10400 0MB No. 1024-001S (Rav. 8-66) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service MAY 2 0 11991 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1 . Name of Property historic name King City Joint Union High School Auditorium ______________________ other names/site number High School Auditorium, RoSert Stanton Theater 2. Location street & number North Mildred Ave . , near Broadway Street N/Al _ | not for publication city, town King City N/A| I vicinity state California code CA county Monterey code 053 zip code 93930 3. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Properly d! private fXl building(s) Contributing Noncontributing [Xj public-local HD district 1 _____ buildings QU public-State I I site _____ ____ sites Ql public-Federal I I structure ____ ____ structures I I object objects ____ ____ Total Name of related multiple property listing: Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register 0_____ 4. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this LXJ nomination LJ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property* GlJ meets LJdoes not meet the National Register criteria. LJSee continuation she«t. Signature of certifying officL. Date California Office of Historic Preservation State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property LJ meets Ljdoes not meet the National Register criteria. LJSee continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification hereby, certify that this property is: I entered in the National Register. [~~1 See continuation sheet. CD determined eligible for the National Register, fl See continuation sheet. [Z] determined not eligible for the National Register. C] removed from the National Register. (HI other, (explain:) ___________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) Recreation and Culture:__________ Recreation and Culture: AuditoriumAuditorium 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) .„ , foundation Concrete_______________ Moderne_____________________ walls Concrete_________ roof Copper other Describe present and historic physical appearance. Constructed in 1939, the King City Joint Union High School Auditorium dominates the East side of the campus and remains essentially unaltered to this day. Standing five stories tall (80* plus basement), the building is prominent within its setting, both through sheer size, as well as unique W.P.A. Moderne style. Designed by noted architect Robert Stanton, the building is the best example in Monterey County of his early work within the W.P.A. Moderne style. Famed artist Joseph Jacinto Mora embellished the building with his singular bas-relief sculpture. Stanton's and Mora's work blend to create an impressive architectural statement. The building remains unaltered and in excellent condition. In 1988 roof drains were resealed. In 1989 the original copper roof was covered with felt and tar roofing material to correct leaks. Derbygum around the rain gutters helped seal the roof. This in no way altered the structure nor is it visible. The King City School Auditorium possesses a high level of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association and therefore should qualify for listing on the National Register under Criteria C. Originally, the auditorium stood to the left of the c. 1915 Spanish colonial style school. This was replaced with a contemporary one story building in the 1970s. Both structures are set in a wide expanse of lawn. The grand sweep of entrance way and arches of the current buildings are compatible with the design of the auditorium. Landscaping around the auditorium consists of cement walkways and grass, judiciously planted evergreen shrubbery of varying heights and small trees, none of which overwhelm the building. The original grassy area to the right of the auditorium has been converted to a parking area and is screened from the building by a privet hedge. Robert Stanton was an eclectic architect who experimented with a variety of architectural styles. These ranged from Country French to residences for the famous, such as Mary and Doucjlas Fairbanks' Pickfair; from hospital designs for which he was considered an expert to the first use of an A-frame school building. In partnership with Wallace Neff, Stanton built the first prefabricated house in the United States in the 1930s. "Too far ahead of the times," he said. [XJ See continuation sheet NPS Form 104004 OUB Appfovtl No. 1024-0018 (M«) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 7 Page ______ He studied the work of Bernard Maybeck and Frank Lloyd Wright and surrounded himself with the best engineers, one of whom worked on Boulder Dam. All the influences in Robert Stanton's life — singing in opera, acting in theater, sound and lighting for movies, European travel — came together in his design for the King City Auditorium. Easy maintenance, W.P.A. budgetary constraints, and the 1930s trend of utilizing the Moderne style in public buildings all united harmoniously. Stanton avoided the oft-repeated Greek theater formula by designing a building with principle mass in the shape of an ellipse. The smooth lines of the auditorium curve back to meet the rectangular bulk of the stage, which stands five stories tall and dominates the rear elevation. The building's Moderne quality is emphasized by Stanton's construction material: reinforced concrete supplemented by steel framing. The concrete, tinted a subtle cream color, gives a smooth, streamlined surface to the walls, not only distinguishing them stylistically, but serving practicality as well. First, the material allowed Stanton to meet the earthquake resistance standards of the day. Second, the flexibility of poured concrete made the elliptical shape possible, which in turn allowed for sharper acoustics. Finally, the curved walls reduced cubic area costs. Although restricted by the W.P.A. budcjet and acoustical needs, Stanton still managed to produce a dignified, graceful structure on the cutting edge of 1930s style. The front facade of the building is a prelude to the building as a whole. Like double parentheses, the expansive curved stairway of six semi-circular, shallow steps and the roof line bracket the monolithic entrance, foretelling the overall fluidity of the structure. A bas-relief triptych of heroic proportions is the focal point of the entrance. Divided into three levels, the triptych depicts on the lower level, left to right: Egyptian Harpist of antiquity with female contortionists, the Egyptian Scarab in a decorative panel; American aboriginal (Hopi Indian) Ceremonial Dance; Teuman Katchina and her twin sons, the Tunwhips. Jo Mora tells us that "at this gorgeous ceremony, the author was initiated into this tribe and received, nude, his flogging at the hands of the twins with yucca whips"; and the Greek drama showing a masked actor as a comedian in the role of a Satyr and a masked tragedian in his thick-soled buskins and high-crowned mask; Greek lyre in decorative panel. Middle: Malay actors performing; The Princess harassed by the masked tiger-clawed Demon; Musician, seated, beats the rhythm on a long narrow drum with his hand. The long-nosed

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